Driving mechanism



G. R. WALKER.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4, 1919.

Patented June 27, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. R. WALKER.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4, m9.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- a/p'nea es Laue/a227,

'G. R. WALKER.

. DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4. 1919- I -4 1,420,793, Patented June 27, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

AMA w@% W m UNITED STATES PA EN orrlcs.

- GEORGE a. orcarcaeo; ILLINOIS, assrononynr mnsnn ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro WALKER vnaIcL'n COMPANY; orcnrcaco, ILLINOIS, A coaroan'rron or ILLmoIs.

nmvme mncnamsm.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented June 27, 1922.

Application filed August 4, 1919. Serial No. 815,129.

To allwhomz't may concern: a

Be it known that I, Gnoncn R. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, 'residing'at (-hicago, in the .county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Driving Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. I

My invention relates to driving mechanisms for motor vehicles and the like, and particularly to that type of driving mechanisms in which drive gearing is associated withaeach of the traction wheels and the drive is transmitted from a differential to the wheels through their associated gearing.

The inherent advantages of an internal gear drive are well known to those skilled in the art. One of the most eminent of these advantages is the distribution of the driving strain between the differential mechanism and the final drive gearing associated with the traction wheels. This distribution of the driving strain relieves the strain in the differential, makin the employment of a smaller differential practical. In driving mechanisms of this type, as heretofore constructed, the traction wheels have been mounted to rotate upon the opposite ends of a fixed or dead axle. The drive has been transmitted from the differential through drive axle'sections arranged eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the driv- Such aconstruction necessieccentrically arranged drive axle sections and as the driving parts and their bearings should be enclosed. an axle casing is necessary in addition to the fixed or dead? axle upon which the traction wheels are journaled. The complexity of such an arrangement is obvious andthe'employment of two distinct shafts transversely between the drive wheels of the vehicleis-undesirable.

My invention aims to provide a novel, simple and compact driving mechanism, wherein efiective o eration, durability, ease of assembly, overall eificiency, andother incidental advantages are secured without encountering the disadvantages which have been incidental to the prior art structures of this type.

In accordance with the teachings of my.

invention, the drive axle sections are arranged co-axial with the axis of rotation of the traction wheels. The 'driveis transmitted from these drive axle sections to the traction wheels through suitable gearing associated with each wheel. The adjacent ends of the axle sections are connected by a suitable differential and a hollow axle cas- Other aims of my invention not hereinbe-' fore set forth will appear from the follow ing detailed description and the claim, taken with an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan-view of the traction wheels and drive axle of a vehicle embodying my invention; a l I Fig. 2 is an enlarged axial section through one end of the drive axle and the tractionhwheel and drive gearing associated therewit Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary axial section through the .central portion of the drive axle and differential gearing;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5- 5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-.-6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designate the traction wheels of a motor vehicleand 2 the drive axle thereof.- The drive axle 2 comprises a hollow axle casing 3 enclosing a differential gearing 4 and a pair of drive axle sections 5-5.' It is to be noted (Figures 1 and 3) that the drive axle sections 5-5, the adjacent ends of which are connected by the difierential 4, are arranged co-axial with the axis of rotation of the lugs or supporting brackets 11 and 12 extending into the hollow axle casing 3. The lugs or supportingbrackets ll and 12 are provided with bores co-axial with the axis of the drive axle sections -5.

The beveled gear 7 of the differential 4 is journaled in a sleeve 13 which sleeve is in 7 turn journaled in a radial bearing 14 argear 22 secured to the sleeve 15 through bevel gears 7 and 8.

,a shaft 18 are journaled. The shaft 18,

which extends diametrically between the adjacent ends of the drive axle sections 55 and opposed beveled gears 7 and 8 carries pinions 19 revolvably mounted thereupon, which pinions 19 mesh with the opposed The sleeve 15 is driven from a propeller shaft 20 by means of a pinion 21 fixed thereupon,'wh1ch pinion meshes with a bevelpld t e integral arms 17 thereof by means 0 suitable bolts 23. The inner end of the propeller shaft 20 is journaled in a radial bearing 24 mounted in the hub portion 25 of the cover 10. ,T.his propeller. shaft isfurther 'ournaled in a radial bearing-26 arranged injaf ring 27 adjustably threaded into the outer open end ofthe -hub 25 The bearing :26 is retained in place between a collar 28, threaded upon the propeller shaft, and a re tainingring 29 threaded into the inner end of the ring 27.

The

uter ends of each of the drive axle sections 5 5, which drive axle sections are arranged co-axi'al withthe'axis of rotation] of the tractionwheels 1.1, is longitudinally splined as shown at (Figure 2), these l'ongitudinalsplines slidably' engaging sirnilar splines-provided in the axial bores of the pinions 36. Each pinion '36meshes with preferably two or-more intermediate gears gears 37 and 38 in turn mesh with an, in-

" ternal gear. 39 provided within the traction wheel 1. This drive or reduction gearing is generally m'milar' to that shown in my prior Patent Number 866,410, granted September 17, 1907. i i

' The drive, or reduction gearing within "the traction wheel is enclosed in a chamber defined by a plate 40 formed integral with the wheel 1 and a'co-operating side late 41 secured thereto bymeans of suitab e bolts raao ee 42.. The particular'contour of the plates 40 and 41 is immaterial. The plate 40, which is attached to the rim of the wheel 1 through a suitable webbed portion 43, provides an annular flange 44 within which and between the plates 40 and 41 the internal driving gear 39 is mounted. A brake drum 45 is formed integral with the side plate 41,

suitable brackets 46 carried by the hollow axle casing 3 carrying co-operating brake shoes 47, although a suitable brake band might be employed if so desired.

he plates 40 and 41 of the gear casing provided within the wheel 1 are provided with internally projecting hubs 48 and 49 respectively in the bores of which hubs suitable radial bearings 50 and 51 are arranged. Ayoke member 52 is journaled in the radial bearings 50 and 51. This yoke member 52 is provided with suitable radial projecting portions 53 in which radial projecting portions the intermediate gears 37 are mounted. The yoke member 52 is provided with an inwardly extending annular hub' portion 56 telescoped into the adjacent open end of the' hollow axle casing 3. Rotary motion of the hub portion 56 with respect to the axle casing 3 may be prevented by a suitable splined connection or by means of suitable radial into the plate 40. I

" The hollow axle casing 3 isprovided with .a flat supporting'portion 57 adjacent each of the traction wheels 11 upon which the frame of the vehicle is mounted either directly or through suitable springs.

' It willnow be apparent that'l have provided a driving mechanism of exceedingly simple and compact construction.

The features of transmitting the drive I from a difierential through suitable drive axle sections and thence to the traction wheels through suitable gearing associated with each'wheel and arranging the drive.

axle sections co-axial with the axis ofrotation of the traction wheels in order that the entire driving mechanism ma be embodied in a single drive axle are hig ly important as ects ofm invention. 37 and 3.8,. although oneoi? such intermep y diate gears willxsufice. {The intermediate Vilhile I have described my invention in connection with the details of a particular embodiment, I do not intend thereby to limit the invention to such details, as I am aware and contemplate that modifications and .changes may be made without departing from the invention which is set out in the appended claim. "Iclaim:

Tncombination, a pair of traction wheels provided internally with gears rigidly secured'thereto,.a continuous hollow axle casmg extenolmg'between said wheels, a pair of drive shafts arranged within said casing co-axial with the axis of rotation of the traction Wheels, a differential arranged between said drive shafts, a gear housing within each traction wheel, the opposite ends of the drive shafts extending into said gear housings and carrying pinions, yoke members at the opposite ends of the hollow axle casing constituting axle supports upon which the traction wheels are journaled, said yoke members having hub portions provided with portions extending radially therefrom'and terminating in substantially the same plane short of the gear secured to the wheel, intermediate gears interposed between said pinions and the gears ri 'dly secured to the wheels, said interme iate gears being mounted through bearing members upon shafts mounted in the radial yoke extensions, said bearing members including inner and outer race members, the radial yoke extensions being formed to cooperate with the inner and to clear the outer race'members of said bearings, supporting bearings on the,

yoke members for the respective wheels, the opposite ends of the hollow axle casing extending through the adjacent ,walls of the gear housing within the wheels and into cooperation with said wheel supporting bearings to position the same.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 31stday of July, A. D. 1919.

GEORGE R. WALKER. 

